As the leaves begin to change colors and the weather turns cooler, there are lots of activities to enjoy with your pet. Don’t go alone – bring your best friend with you.

Go to an Apple Orchard

Apples are ready to be picked, so you’ll find an abundance of apple orchards to visit. Most of them allow dogs and it’s a great way to enjoy the weather together. Apples are a great treat for you to share with your pet as they clean your dog’s teeth and make their breath fresh. Just be careful with the core and seeds because they are a choking concern and toxic.

Go Trick-Or-Treating

Halloween isn’t just for kids – your pet looks adorable dressed up. Head out with the kids and your pets to do some trick-or-treating. Carry some extra treats with you for other animals along the way.

Pumpkin Picking

Just like apple orchards, most pumpkin patches don’t mind dogs. Who knows – your dog might just have an eye for the best pumpkin in the patch. When you are ready to sit down to some homemade pumpkin pie, don’t forget your dog. They can have a small amount of pumpkin puree in their food. It’s great for their digestive system and offers lots of fiber.

Tailgating

With football season getting into full swing, you are sure to be invited to a tailgating party. Of course, your pet will be the hit of the get-together, so be sure to bring them along. Don’t forget their favorite toys and food as well.

Take a Hike

Exercise is great for you and your dog, so why not do it together? While your dog won’t see all the colors, they will recognize the different smells and activity. Look for some local events that you and your dog can walk in together as well.

Final Thoughts

Whatever you do this fall, make sure you include your pets. They deserve to enjoy the magic of the season change with you. Get outside and enjoy the fresh, crisp weather while you can.

Animals have always been relevant to humans, even before they became pets. They were counted on to provide food, transportation and clothing. Even though these purposes still exist today, the role of most animals has changed. Let’s look at how this relationship has evolved.

Prehistoric Times

The relationship between animals and man was mainly a hunter and prey combination. People only viewed animals for their clothing and food.

The first animal to be seen outside of these purposes was the wolf. Humans found that the young cubs would listen to humans when trained. They were used for herding, guarding and hunting.
Ancient Civilizations

As humans shifted from being hunters to farmers, working dogs were valued more. This is also the time when cats started to play a role in the equation. They were used to protect the grain stores, barns and houses from mice.
Pet ownership was common among the noble and ruling classes. Murals depict the wealthy with animals. Slowly, these animals became companions instead of workers.

The Middle Ages

During these years, lap dogs became popular among noble women. The male nobles spent more of their attention on the useful animals like falcons and hunting hounds.

At the time, the Christian church didn’t believe in keeping pets. They thought that they were to be used for food to feed the poor. It’s possible that this stemmed from the fear of pagan worship and the use of animals. This continued until animals started to be seen as good fortune.

Pet Keeping

Keeping pets wasn’t accepted on a larger scale in Europe until the late 1600s. It almost a hundred years later before the middle class started having pets.

Today, pets have multiple roles in society. They are companions, helpers and an indication of status. They also aid people in activities they can’t do for themselves, such as seeing-eye dogs. Whatever your purpose for having a pet, it’s important that you value the bond and relationship that has taken so many years to cultivate.

Pet-friendly travel – hospitality and vacation locations are catering to pet owners and their furry friends.

Travel apps – apps that help to connect consumers with places to take their dogs and cats.

Pet health insurance – while they’ve been around for some time, popularity is getting larger recently.

What to Look for in the Future

As we move forward, you are going to see some more trends emerging. Pet parents are expected to see continued increases in the industry and spend more money shortly. Online shopping sites, like Amazon, have been selling record amounts of pet products and those numbers will continue to increase. Look for more innovative services, concepts and products to emerge over the next year.

You’ve just gotten home from running some errands and your pet is gone. Now, what are you supposed to do? Follow our simple tips and hopefully, you’ll find your loved animal soon.

Don't Wait

It’s important to start your search immediately. Make lots of noise – yell for your animal. Stop everyone you see and ask right away if they’ve seen your pet. Most of the time your pet is nearby, so they might hear you and come running back.

Consider a Reward

Consider creating a flyer with all of your pet’s information on it. Distribute them to libraries, vets, police departments and neighbors. If you are offering a reward, leave out something about your pet’s traits that they will need to identify. Also, avoid scams by staying clear of anyone asking you to wire them money.

Search Often

Go through your neighborhood multiple times each day. Talk to everyone you see along the way. You’ll also want to contact the shelters each day. Look in hiding places in the neighborhood.

Make Sure You Use Collar Tags

You can’t do this once your pet is lost, but it’s a good precautionary measure. Put your cell phone number on the tag.

Microchips

These are just the size of a grain of rice and placed under the pet’s skin. It transmits your phone number through radio frequency waves. Your vet can implant the chip speedily. Then, when your pet is found, a veterinarian and shelter can scan and attempt to contact you.

There is a small issue with microchips. They run on three varying frequencies and there are two communication protocols sold. Sometimes, a chip is missed, so you don’t want to rely on this as your only way to find your animal.

Whatever you do, don’t panic. The majority of pets are found within 48 hours. Be diligent and don’t give up searching until you find your furry friend.

When you head into the wellness exam with your pet, there are some questions you should plan to ask. Here are the top 5 things you need to discuss with your veterinarian.

Is My Pet at a Healthy Weight?

Believe it or not, half of the pets in the United States are now overweight. Most pet owners don’t even realize that there’s a problem. Talk to your vet about the appropriate weight for your animal and what you can do to improve their health.

It’s possible that you need to make some changes to their food. The veterinarian has excellent recommendations that work for your type of pet, so be willing to listen to their suggestions.

Does My Pet Need Shots?

It’s essential that your furry loved one has all their vaccinations. This protects them from dangerous health issues.

Does My Pet Require a Dental Cleaning?

Pets suffer from dental disease more often than most people realize. About 80% of dogs and an estimated 70% of cats over the age of three suffer from periodontal disease. This leads to further complications if left untreated.

Instead of waiting for problems to arise, it makes more sense to be proactive with dental cleanings. In the end, it saves you money and keeps your pet healthy.

What’s the Best Flea and Tick Medication to Use?

Not only are ticks and fleas a nuisance, but they lead to several deadly diseases. With all the options available to prevent and kill these pests, it’s important you know which one is the best. Talk to your vet about their recommendations. You’ll even be able to find some that work for 12 weeks on just one dose.

Will you Explain the Bill?

Instead of walking away confused, ask the vet to explain why the procedures cost what they do. What seems like a lot of money probably won’t once you understand the training and equipment needed to keep your pet healthy.